Good Work, Precarity and Contracts (Episode 11) | Sarah explores the good, the bad, and the ugly of research-adjacent job contracts

This week's Research Adjacent podcast is another solo episode. Host Sarah McLusky explores some common issues around contracts in the research-adjacent sector.

Sarah explores

• What characterises 'good work'
• Jargon busting - the difference between fixed term, open-ended and fractional contracts
• Why open-ended isn't always better
• Toxic practice to watch out for
• When short contracts might be the right thing for you
• Making the most of a fixed term contract

Read the full show notes on the podcast webpage

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Theme music by Vitaliy Levkin from Pixabay

Mentioned in this episode:

Member of the Month: Duncan Yellowlees, DY Training

Let’s put rubbish presentations in the bin – where they belong. Get in touch with Duncan for specialist research presentation skills training www.duncanyellowlees.com

Come along to our Manchester networking event

Join host Sarah McLusky and fellow research-adjacent professionals on Thursday 12 March 2026 at 5.30pm. Find out more and register here https://researchadjacent.circle.so/c/open-events/manchester-research-adjacent-community-networking